Prayer Walking in the City

One of my favorite things to do is walk around neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh and pray. My relationship with God, and my relationship with my neighbors, is worked out in the context of the places where God has called me. I love to be in the streets of Homewood and East Liberty. I get a sense of home there because that is where God has asked me to spend my time as a pastor.

When one looks at a city, great signs of need and signs of hope can be seen. As a follower of Jesus, it is particularly important for me to be in constant prayer in order to discern where and when the Holy Spirit is at work. God literally directs my path as a pastor and a leader. God might ask me to enter into a painful situation, or God might ask me to enter into a hopeful situation. I can only know what to do and how to do it if I'm spending time in prayer listening to my heavenly Father.

That is why prayer walking in a city is so important. I've said it many times before, but effective ministry rarely happens in sterile conditions. Urban ministry can be messy. It's important for those who are called to cities to be in the streets, mixing it up with people right in the middle of all of the activity. If a person or an organization is called to a cause in a city, that calling will likely be very challenging. Prayer walking is an incredible way for Christians to effectively advance the kingdom of God in the midst of complex urban environments.

God's Timing

God has been teaching me so much lately about how He is in control and I am not. As a pastor involved in urban ministry, I experience many highs and lows on a seemingly daily basis. When I see an injustice, I want to do something about it immediately in order to see things made right. When I'm building a relationship with somebody who is experiencing pain, I want them to be relieved of their pain. When I see signs of brokenness in my neighborhood, I long to see things made right. All of these things, though, have more to do with my intentions and outcomes than on God's intentions and outcomes. His timing is perfect, and his healing, transformational love moves in its own divine ways. Transformation is a process, not a destination. This is why it is so important for Christians involved in justice and serving others to be patient and stay for a while in a particular place while waiting on the Lord to move according to his will, not ours.

Church Plants in the City

Today I had a great lunch with a young pastor who wants to plant a church in the city of Pittsburgh. He has a lot of challenges in front of him. The neighborhood where he feels like God is calling him is a tough community with complex dynamics. There are many challenges in that community, but, as in all urban neighborhoods, there are also many assets. It was fun to encourage him, to share some of my adventures of launching a new church in the city, and to dream together about the plans that God has for our city.

There should not be competition between Christians when it comes to advancing the kingdom of God. In America, we are rapidly becoming a post-Christian nation in which thousands of churches close their doors each year. Christians should be actively supporting and cheering for those who God calls to plant new churches, especially in complicated urban environments. There is no competition because we are on the same team working toward fulfilling God's mission to redeem the world during this present evil age. Our modern society needs more passionate followers of Jesus to build up existing churches and launch new churches. I am excited to see that God is raising up new churches in the city of Pittsburgh, and I value the churches that have been here for a long time.

The Incredible Staff at North Way East End

I love the staff that God brought to the church at North Way East End. These leaders have bought into the big vision that God gave us to reach the city missionally and cross-culturally through the building of meaningful relationships. There are many challenges to launching and growing a new church, and I am so thankful for the team that God brought together. They are each uniquely gifted, qualified, and called to the work of advancing the kingdom of God in the East End of the city of Pittsburgh. We dream about reaching the city together. Not just little ideas... I'm talking about God-sized dreams! We encourage each other, pray for each other, and support one another. One of the best parts of launching a church has been locking arms with so many great people in a big adventure. A strong and unified team has been an important part of the solid foundation that God has established at North Way East End.

The Joy of Living Incarnationally in the City

When I moved to Homewood four years ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. I trusted God completely even though he had called my family to live in an urban environment for the first time to build cross-cultural relationships. Sure, I had read a lot of books on incarnational urban ministry and I had talked with some other people who had made similar types of moves. Still, I really had no idea what to expect. I just knew that God would equip me on a daily basis to embrace the new adventure.

Looking back on the past four years, I am so thankful that God opened the door for us to live in Homewood. Not much has changed about the crime or violence that shows up on the evening news so often, but there is still progress being made in those areas. I don't experience much of the pain of brokenness in my community, though. I experience the joy of being in meaningful relationships with my neighbors and friends in Homewood. When I lived in the suburbs, I very rarely had people stop by my house just to visit. Now, I have friends stop by to visit all of the time. It's just regular. I expect that every day God is going to bring some unexpected person across my path. My family's life has intersected with the lives of our neighbors and friends in Homewood, and it's a wonderful way to do life. We often have guests who share meals with us, hang out with us, and who do life with us.

It's simple, really. We just live life, and we share our lives with others. God leads us on a process of transformation through relationships just as he leads our friends on a process of transformation. God has worked through me to plant seeds in the lives of others, and I have had the tremendous joy of seeing those seeds grow over time. I get a closer look at what God is up to when I choose to live in the same neighborhood where I minister and lead. That is why I am such a big advocate for incarnational leadership. I think that any person who feels called by God to lead ministries with people in the inner city ought to also choose to live with the people they are serving. It's hard to experience the richness and joy of seeing lives transformed from a safe distance. Full immersion in the lives of others in the city certainly leads to increased effectiveness with people who benefit from ministry efforts, but these meaningful relationships and life experiences end up leading to greater transformation in the lives of the leaders.

Finding God in the Margins

There are several organizations in East Liberty that reach out to people who are struggling with homelessness. The church that I lead, North Way East End, is located right in the heart of East Liberty. As an urban pastor, I spend a considerable amount of time walking around the city where God has called me to lead. In my walks through East Liberty I often cross paths with people who are navigating through homelessness. These people are becoming my friends. I spend time with them during the week. They attend my church on Sunday mornings. I have become caught up in their stories, and they have become caught up in my story.

I learn so much from my friends who are dealing with the pain of homelessness. These relationships are often not transactional (giving things or offering advice). Our interactions are transformational. God works through every part of these relationships. I listen to my friends a lot. They listen to me. We laugh together. We hurt together. God allows my heart to break by entering into the pain of others. I celebrate break throughs in life with my friends, and we talk about and pray through pain. God takes each of us on a process of transformation.

Understanding God's mission is an important part of discerning how God wants me to lead in complex urban environments. God's grace is like water, flowing down and pooling in low places. I spend plenty of time as a pastor with people in powerful places, but I also find great joy in participating in God's mission in powerless places. I experience God's grace in abundance when I spend time with people who are marginalized by mainstream society. I often feel closest to God when I'm spending time with people who are close to God's heart... those who are most vulnerable. This is why it is such a great privilege to be a pastor in a city. I interact with so many different kinds of people on a daily basis, and God works through others to enhance my own growth in life.

The Art of Listening

I have been reading through a book called The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson. He points out that a major skill for pastors to develop is listening. I have been trying to focus on the art of listening recently, and it is amazing how much God is able to work through me when I take my time with people. By simply listening, God has opened up some incredible conversations. I am learning that when I rush to interject my own thoughts, I can get in the way of progress.

I have been applying this to my time spent walking around the neighborhood of East Liberty where the church I lead is located. By actively engaging people in conversations and listening well, God is showing me so much about myself, the people I'm meeting, and the neighborhood. The city has a lot to say if I allow the time. My prayer is that God would continue to show me how to listen well on a daily basis so that I can serve as a more effective pastor and leader.